Diffusing apparatus



May 22, 1956 o. KoFolD 2,746,795

' DIFFUSING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1953 MMM /r/'TDF/vi/ United States PatentOflice l DIFFUSIN G APPARATUS rville Kofoid, Corvallis, Oreg., assignor, by rnesne assignments, of fifty per cent to R. B. Manufacturing Corp., Portland, Oreg., a corporation of Oregon Application April 16, 1953, Serial No. 349,249

2 Claims. (Cl. 299-69) This invention relates to a diffusing apparatus, but more specifically to a device of this kind that is so constructed and arranged that liquids forced through one end of the structure set up a turbulence which causes a rotary motion of one member of said structure.

This structure by experiment has shown that the inwardly tapering entrance of the fluid creates a turbulence that causes rotation of the suspended rotor, provided that the angle of taper in said rotor exactly co-ordinates with the angle of taper in entrance opening; and further, that the disclosed embodiment can effectively operate at any angie, from an upright vertical position to a diametrically opposite position, due to the phenomena of turbulence.

It has further been found by experiments that the rotor could move either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction when the pressure is applied, depending on the direction in which the rotor vinitially starts after it has been at rest.

The force which operates the rotor is consistent with the Newtonian theory, since the product of the mass of liquid by the acceleration produced in its motion constitutes that force; but the kinetic energy, due to its motion, gradually diminishes as the velocity falls off when an indeterminate height is reached: then the kinetic energy becomes zero, and the potential energy and kinetic energy neutralize. At this pivotal point the liquid mass is controlled by gravity and falls to the ground, since the resistance to which a body presents to a force is directly in proportion to its mass.

ln the experimental tests of this apparatus, water was the liquid used; therefore in all subsequent references to liquids in this application, water will be implied.

One object of this invention is to provide a jet spray to be used as a part of an irrigation system consisting of a series of pipes placed on the ground and through which water is pumped from a source of supply.

Another object is to cause the rotation of one member of the assembly by force of the liquids passing therethrough, and exhausting through outlets formed in a head attached to the rotary member remote from the inlet end.

Another object is to cause a turbulent flow of liquid into a chamber formed in the housing, by means of placing a tube having a frustoconical aperture, into the entrance end of the said chamber, for the purpose of increasing the capacity of the liquid as it is forced around and into the rotary member and out through exhaust jets; and again To provide a structure that is simple in operation, efiicient in performance, and inexpensive in manufacture and production.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following specification and appended claims, which, taken in connection with the several figures of the drawing form part of this application.

With reference to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a preferred emstented May 22, 1956 bodiment of the invention, showing the rotor in neutral position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the rotor at an exaggerated axial pitch;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the rotor at an opposite pitch relative to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line A-A of Fig. l, and A Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line B--B of Fig. 1, showing the exhaust outlets in exaggerated staggered relation.

With more detailed reference to the drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts:

The numeral 2 indicates a cylindriform housing into which is pressed a tube 3 having a frustoconical aperture 3a formed therein, while the tube is held in position by means of a set-screw 4. The lower end of said housing is screw-threaded for the purpose of connecting it with a water pipe: the upper portion is reduced in outside diameter, while the portion intermediate the reduced diameter and threaded end is hexagonal in configuration in order that it may be gripped by a wrench. This hexagonal part is designated by the numeral 5, as in Figs. 1 and 4.

A bushing 6 is pressed into housing 2, and held in longitudinal relation therewith by means of an integral flange 7', while a rotor tapering from cylindrical portion 8 to coniform portion 9 is suspended within the housing by means of a head 10 which is screw-threaded to the rotor, while a collar 8a, forms an integral part of said rotor.

Two angular jets 1l-11a, arranged in staggered relation, (opening into chamber 12 of the rotor) are formed in head 10, for purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to operate the disclosed embodiment of this invention the housing is screwed into a pipe through which liquid is forced by any means of pressure, but controlled by a valve, and as the liquid flows into aperture 12 of the rotor and 12a of the housing, a turbulence which causes motion of the rotor, is created, and as the liquid continues to fiow, the pressure on the jets combined with the acceleration and retardation of the liquid, causes a constant axial rotation of the rotor as the liquid exhausts through the jets.

This structure is so arranged that friction is reduced to a minimum, since there is a clearance between the cylindrical portion of the rotor and the inner periphery of bushing 6, and further: the head and collar contact the bushing on points only; but the rotor at no time comes in physical contacts with the housing.

Another salient feature of this structure is the fact that the gravitational weight of the rotor is overcome,

. except when it is at rest, since the end thrust of the mobile liquid against said rotor keeps it continually afloat until the pressure is released.

While the structure has been described in detail and with specific illustrations, it is to be understood that other modifications in construction and arrangements of parts may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present embodiment is illustrative but not restrictive, since the scope and purview of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

Having thus fully described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention in a manner that may enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to construct and use the same, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A diffusing apparatus adapted to be operated by the turbulence of liquids passing therethrough, comprising a stationary housing, a tube having an inwardly tapering frusto-conical aperture defined therein inserted in said housing, a rotor consisting of a cylindrical portion and a coniform portion having a taper in coordinate exactitude with the taper of said frustoconical tube, said rotor being suspended by said housing, an annular collar integral with the rotor, a head defining slightly staggered jets attached to the rotor without -said housing for the purpose of expelling liquids and causing direction of rotation as turbulence created by the ow of liquids from the tube through the rotor causes rotation of the rotor.

2. A diffusing apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereby the movement of the tube toward the rotor accelerates the speed of the rotor, while the movement of said tube in a counterdirection retards the speed of said rotor.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,784,314 Potter Dec. 9, 1930 1,821,579 Rader Sept. 1, 1931 1,977,763 Gordon Oct. 23, 1934 2,323,701 Barksdale July 6, 1943 2,501.9l2 Parker Mar. 28, 1950 2,573,982 Ofeldt NOV. 6, 1951 2,639,191 Hruby May 19, 1953 

1. A DIFFUSING APPARATUS ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY THE TURBULENCE OF LIQUIDS PASSING THERETHROUGH, COMPRISING A STATIONARY HOUSING, A TUBE HAVING AN INWARDLY TAPERING FRUSTO-CONICAL APERTUR DEFINED THEREIN INSERTED IN SAID HOUSING, A ROTOR CONSISTING OF A CYLINDRICAL PORTION AND A CONIFORM PORTION HAVING A TAPER IN COORDINATE EXACTITUDE WITH THE TAPER OF SAID FRUSTOCONICAL TUBE, SAID ROTOR BEING SUSPENDED BY SAID HOUSING, AN ANNULAR COLLAR INTEGRAL WITH THE ROTOR, A HEAD DEFINING SLIGHTLY 